Lions giving second chance to player suspended over gambling violations

ALLEN PARK — After serving a yearlong suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy, safety C.J. Moore is getting a second chance in Detroit, signing a one-year deal with the Lions according to NFL Network.

Moore originally joined the Lions in 2019 and became one of the best special-teams players in the league over the next four years, including serving as the trigger man on a couple memorable fake punts once Dan Campbell took over. He was rewarded with a nice two-year, $4.5 million contract last offseason, with $3 million in guarantees.

Exactly one month later, the league announced it had found Moore and receiver Quintez Cephus were being suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games, while receivers Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill were being suspended six games for betting on non-NFL games from inside a league facility.

Moore and Cephus were immediately released by Detroit, while Berryhill was let go a short time later. Williams later had his suspension reduced to four games, and finished last season with 24 catches for 354 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games. He also scored twice in the NFC championship game in San Francisco.

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Moore and Cephus were reinstated to the league last month, and Cephus quickly landed with the Buffalo Bills. Now Moore has a new home too, right back in Detroit.

The reunion will be a welcomed one in Detroit. Moore was beloved by Campbell and the locker room for his ability to contribute across all special teams, while backing up every position in the secondary too. He’ll provide some badly needed depth at safety, where only Kerby Joseph, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Brandon Joseph — who has never played a defensive snap for in the NFL — were under contract.